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Business Assistance

COVID-19 Business and Nonprofit Assistance

We are collecting resources to assist our non-profit and  business community.

 

Additional Restaurant Grant

https://thinkmoco.com/covid-19-resources/restaurant-relief-grant

A new round of restaurant relief funding is now available to Montgomery County restaurants, food trucks, caterers, breweries and wineries. First-time applicants may be eligible for grants of up to $10,000, while previous MoCo Restaurant Relief grant recipients will be automatically eligible for a $5,000 grant. The funding source is a second $4.9 million aid package Maryland Governor Larry Hogan made available for restaurants severely impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis.

 

Tourism Anchor Institution Grant

https://montgomerycountymd.gov/biz-resources/tourism/

The Montgomery County Tourism Anchor Institution Grant Program will provide financial assistance to non-profit entities in Montgomery County that are tourist-oriented and have a mission that focuses on arts, culture, agriculture and/or recreation.  The local tourism industry has been extremely hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and projections point to a long recovery period. The survival of the County’s tourism anchor institutions – those facilities that attract a large number of visitors -- is critical to maintaining the County’s leisure and hospitality industry and outstanding quality of life.

 

https://thinkmoco.com/covid-19-resources/restaurant-relief-grant

Mo Co Restaurant Relief Grant

The restaurant industry has been severely impacted by the pandemic, losing revenue and customers due to public health related concerns, closures and restrictions. In response, Governor Larry Hogan set aside $50 Million for Restaurant Relief, sending approximately $8 Million to Montgomery County to aid its restaurants.

On November 17, the Montgomery County Council authorized Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) to administer and award grants of up to $10,000 to eligible County restaurants and other entities like food trucks, caterers, and wineries and breweries that directly provide food service. Applications will be accepted from November 20 through December 4, 2020.

In response to the disastrous impact of this pandemic on a highly vulnerable sector, the Montgomery County Government and AHCMC are providing emergency relief funds. The Arts & Humanities COVID-19 Relief Fund is available to Montgomery County, MD based non-profit arts and/or humanities organizations and individual artists and scholars experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19.

 

https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Pages/MarylandStrongEconomicRecoveryInitiative/default.aspx

Department of Housing and Community Development's funding available for, among other things, entertainment venues. A simple overview of the deadlines, funding ranges, and purpose for the entertainment venues funding is below. Guidelines and links to the application should be coming shortly here. Feel free to forward this information to your contacts and consider applying for funding if appropriate. 

Maryland Strong - Entertainment Venues
Opens: November 12 at 12:00 pm

Closes: November 20 at 5:00 pm
Min/Max Request Amount : $75,000/$500,000
Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit and for-profit live music and performance venues, live entertainment promoters and independently-owned local movie theaters
Use of Funds: Operating and Capital
Time Period Covered: March 1, 2020 through April 30, 2021

 

https://www.thecommunityfoundation.org/arts-forward-fund

The Greater Washington Community Foundation has joined with The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and eight other grantmakers to launch the Arts Forward Fund, a million-dollar initiative to provide critical support to help arts and culture organizations in the DC region to stabilize, adapt, and thrive despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The Arts Forward Fund will award grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to help arts and culture organizations make the urgent changes needed to continue their work through the pandemic and beyond.

 

https://carlmfreemanfoundation.org/grants/faces-grants

DUE: September 4th

The FACES (Freeman Assists Communities with Extra Support) program is designed to find and fund the smaller, overlooked projects in our neighborhoods – and our grants are limited to nonprofit organizations with operating budgets of $500,000 or less in Sussex County, DE, or $750,000 or less in Montgomery County, MD. Founded in 2000 in Delaware, FACES stands for "Freeman Assists Communities with Extra Support."

 

https://www.centerforcraft.org/grants-and-fellowships/craft-futures-fund

Due:  The August deadline is still open, September is Open, Ends in October

The Craft Futures Fund will support craft communities throughout the United States and their creative responses to COVID-19. These one-time, unrestricted grants of $5,000 will be disbursed to craft-based education projects that seed resilience, foster community, and amplify impact.

 

Re-open Montgomery Grant portal opens at noon on July 29,  https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/biz-resources/reopen/

For businesses, and non-profits up to $5,000.  Reopen Montgomery Program grants will reimburse Montgomery County businesses and nonprofits for expenses incurred to comply with State and County reopening requirements. Reopening requirements are established to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and maintain public health.

 

2nd Round of Maryland State Arts Council Emergency Funding

Opens Monday, July 20! Have your applications ready to submit.

https://www.msac.org/grants/emergency-grant  

In response to the COVID-19 State of Emergency, the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) has created special grant opportunities that provide emergency funding to arts organizations and artists in Maryland as they adjust to losses sustained because of programming, operations, and events that have been modified or cancelled.  The 2nd round of funding is offering $3million for individual artists and arts organization grants.  

 

Small Business: Microenterprise Stabilization Program

Montgomery County will begin accepting applications to its Microenterprise Stabilization Program (MSP) beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10. Applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. The MSP initiative is designed to help for-profit businesses with five or fewer employees in response to the COVID-19 health crisis.

In addition to for-profit businesses, the program is open to businesses with no employees including sole proprietors and independent contractors.

Information on the eligibility requirements and required documentation is available on the program web page at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/biz-resources/msp.

 

A&E Funding Resources During COV-19

From MidAtlantic Arts Foundation

https://www.midatlanticarts.org/grants-programs/cares-arts-organization-relief-grants/  

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation (MAAF), with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, has announced the CARES Arts Organization Relief Grants program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Small to mid sized non-profit arts organizations in MAAF’s partner states, jurisdictions, and territories (DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, USVI, VA, and WV) may apply through a competitive process for one-time, non-matching grants of up to $20,000.  

 

From Maryland State Government: Small Business & Nonprofits

The State of Maryland announced new COVID-19 business relief programs on March 23. These resources are available through the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor .  The State of Maryland has consolidated their information into one page listing grants, and COVID-19 Guidance at https://govstatus.egov.com/md-coronavirus-business . 

Maryland has authorized $130 million in loan and grant funding for small businesses and manufacturers that have been negatively impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This emergency assistance provides interim relief and proceeds that can be used to pay cash operating expenses including payroll, suppliers, rent, fixed debt payments and other mission critical cash operating costs.

If you are a Maryland-based business impacted by the Coronavirus with under 50 full- and part-time employees, or a Maryland manufacturer, check out the programs below to see if you qualify for assistance.

 

Federal Funding for Business, Nonprofits and Individuals

Small businesses can apply here for Federal Funding.

The CARES Act (information provided by the State of Maryland)

  • The CARES Act was passed by Congress and signed into law on March 27, 2020. Read an overview here and a Q&A from the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship can be found here. Additional information from the U.S. Department of the Treasury can be found here.
  • Under the CARES Act, $350 billion will be used to establish the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which provides loan guarantees to small businesses to assist with payroll costs for workers who are forced to stay home. Loans will be available for firms that meet SBA small business size standards, self-employed, sole proprietors, independent contractors (i.e., workers in the “gig” economy), and certain nonprofits including 501(c)(3)s, 501(c)(19)s, and tribal business concerns with fewer than 500 employees.
  • For companies with more than 500 employees, the CARES Act provides $500 billion distributed to distressed industries, including passenger airlines, cargo air carriers, and industries related to national security. Read more.
  • The CARES Act also creates a $150 billion Coronavirus relief fund for states and territories.
    • $139 billion is set aside for states and is allocated based on population, using latest census data. There is a minimum of $1.25 billion per state. Maryland is expected to receive an estimated $2.344 billion.
    • Local governments in jurisdictions with populations of at least 500,000 may request a direct payment from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
  • The CARES Act establishes a refundable, 50% payroll tax credit covering up to $10,000 paid per employee, including benefits from the period of March 13, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Read more, and find additional IRS guidance on Coronavirus tax relief here.
  • The CARES Act also includes support for economic development agencies and programs, including funding for the Community Development Block Grant, assistance to minority business development centers and minority chambers of commerce, several million for state arts and humanities agencies and partners, and more, to assist businesses in need. Read more.

 

Montgomery County Government Funding: For Business, Nonprofits, and Individuals

Applications can be found here: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Biz-Resources/pheg/

If you have questions about program eligibility criteria or information and documentation requirements, email BizinfoCovid19@montgomerycountymd.gov.  Montgomery County announced $20 million will be available for small for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations. 

 

Maryland State Arts Council: For Nonprofit Arts Funding

https://www.msac.org/grants/emergency-grant

 

Practicing Artist Relief Fund

A coalition of grantmakers have established emergency relief fund for artists and creative workers that will provide $5,000 no-strings-attached grants. It is intended for anyone who earns income from their creative or artistic practice and who has also been affected by COVID-19.

 

For Visual Artists in the DC Area

www.wherewithalgrants.org

 

New Grant for Restaurant Workers

Guy Fieri and the National Restaurant Association Has Launched Relief Fund to Give $500 Checks to Restaurant Workers Affected by Coronavirus

Restaurant Employee Relief Fund

Here’s how it works: Restaurant workers can apply for a grant paid for by the NRAEF fund starting Thursday, April 2, and will receive a one-time $500 check within three weeks to use toward housing, medical bills, student loans, groceries, and other expenses. The NRAEF stipulated that these grants would be administered on a “first-come, first-serve basis.” To apply or to donate visit:

https://www.nrn.com/news/national-restaurant-association-education-foundation-launches-employee-fundraising-campaign

 

**For additional information on funding opportunities, please continue to check back at the Montgomery County Government, State of Maryland, and SBA site.